The Raghuvamsa is the story of the great lineage starting from Lord Surya that produced some great warrior kings. The most famous of them all is undoubtedly Lord Rama, whose story has been glorified in the great epic of Ramayana. Raghuvamsa talks of the great emperor Raghu and his exploits and the battles he won. He led a military expedition to Transoxiana. Conquering anything and anyone who came in his path, he marches through central Asia and reached Vankshu, where a horrible battle was fought. The faces of the defeated were mutilated beyond disgust and it is said that this form of facial mutilation was widespread in Central Asia at that time.
After the Vankshu, Raghu and his army came across the Kambojas, who readily submitted to the valor of the great warrior and pleased him with gifts and rich treasures. The Kambojas are presumably the ancient people of Iran who are often referred to in ancient Indian texts. The growth of walnut trees is mentioned in the text and even today this region is known for its walnut cultivation.
It is believed that the literary figure of Raghu could have been inspired from Chandragupta Vikramaditya, as there are striking resemblances between the two conquerors. Chandragupta Vikramaditya himself gained much fame and respect by conquering many lands to spread the Gupta Empire. Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa gives immense adoration and fame to the Gupta rulers. The contribution of Raghuvamsa in Indian literature is indeed priceless and something that should be given prime importance.
